I love walking into comic book stores and casinos. As a comic book reader and collector, there are very few places that give me the charge that I get when walking into a store and seeing shelves lined with comic books. Ok, walking into a casino can come close – but not close enough. A comic book store is a lot like a casino and I doubt there have ever been many people who have made the association between the two. For those who know me, you should have expected me to compare two of my favorite types of locations.
Comic book stores are like casions
Bright Colors
One of the first things you will notice when walking into a casino or a comic book store is the bright colors all around. The casino owners use the bright colors to bring your attention to the slots, the table games and to the entertainment. Comic book companies use bright colors and visually-enticing covers to draw you in in much the same way. If a slot machine looked bland and devoid of flashing lights, would you stop and play? If a comic had a bland cover, would it catch your eye?
Location of Shared Interest
Walk into a casino and listen to the conversations patrons are having. With all of my trips to Las Vegas, I have heard the full gambit of possible conversations over the years, but the majority of people are talking about gambling, particular games, or winning money. If you walk into any of the comic book stores in the world, chances are good that most of the conversations will be about reading comics, particular comics, or the shared experiences of comic book readers. Casinos and comic book stores are hubs for people who share common interests.
The Big Gambles of Comic Book Stores
Chances are good that you might not actively think about gambling when you are in a comic book store, but you are – and others are as well. When you pick up an issue, you are taking a gamble that you are going to like it. When you purchase a variant cover for the collectability factor, you are betting on the issue increasing in value over time. In fact, I have heard more about comic book speculators in the last few months than I have about sports betting speculators.
Don’t forget that comic book companies are speculating with every title and storyline. They are betting on you buying each title they have. Sometimes they win and sometimes they lose. Owners of comic book stores are speculating when they place their orders. Sometimes they order the correct amount of a title, sometimes they get burned, and sometimes they wish they ordered more.
Leaving with Anticipation
Every time I have entered a plane leaving Las Vegas, I have anticipated my next trip to Sin City. Leaving comic book stores gives me the same feeling. I wonder about what types comics or merchandise they will have the next time I arrive and what types of conversations I will have while there. Now if I could only get free drinks in comic book stores…
